CS CLEANERS
On the What’s This? LP, CS Cleaners deliver 11 tracks of warped, day-glow art punk that lash out at the absurdity of contemporary living. The band is influenced by NYC downtown music from CBGB’s diverse first wave through the mutations and deconstructions of no-wave. But while CS Cleaners might have a sound rooted in music that can be severe at times, they are by no means taking themselves seriously: What’s This? is dance music first and foremost, albeit a form wild enough for these extreme times.
The characters portrayed on What’s This? are often caught in moments of self-doubt and panic. For instance, the narcissist musician on “Come & Go” is freaking out about losing the limelight. The pathos in Ben Petrisor’s delivery of lines like, “if I swallow my pride, I’ll split in two,” conveys a sympathy for an unlikable character in a relatable situation. We witness a variety of such panic attacks on What’s This? They spring from the social media surveillance state, the pressures of living in an increasingly hostile city, and, of course, from being stretched too thin.
If there is a message to What’s This?, it is to not give in to dehumanization. Opening track “What’s That?” is a call to arms for feeling actual human emotions, as scary as they might be, while it might be easier to numb ourselves to harsh realities. Petrisor sings, “And then it hits me like a brick” while the band drops a wall of noise that breaks the tension of the insistent motorik groove laid down by bassist Sergio Falvo and drummer Jacob Saxton. Throughout What’s This? Guitarist Adam Sierzputowski alternates between piling in on the skronk and adding tasteful melodic note lines like the clipped “Marquee Moon” reference in “Come & Go.”
Fun music for bad times. Squirm out of your feeding tube, duck those obligations and take a manic ride through CS Cleaners’ NYC on What’s This?
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On the What’s This? LP, CS Cleaners deliver 11 tracks of warped, day-glow art punk that lash out at the absurdity of contemporary living. The band is influenced by NYC downtown music from CBGB’s diverse first wave through no-wave’s mutations and deconstructions. But while CS Cleaners might have a sound rooted in music that can be severe at times, they are by no means taking themselves seriously: What’s This? is dance music first and foremost, albeit a form wild enough for these extreme times.